Despite Hostess bankruptcy, Twinkies could really last forever

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The rumors of Twinkies indestructibility might not be true, but the US snack cakes might very well outlast their manufacturer’s bankruptcy. Hostess, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Wonder Bread and other baked goods announced last week that it was liquidating the company after failing to reach an agreement with striking factory workers.

The news of Hostess’s liquidation plans prompted some fears in the US that its iconic snack cakes would no longer be available, and led to eBay auctions of packages of Twinkies and Chocodiles. But, at the very least, they’ll continue to be available in Canada, and there’s a decent chance Hostess products will continue to be sold in the US.

Saputo, a Canadian company, already owns the Canadian rights to the Hostess brand and is not impacted by the liquidation. Saputo could potentially work out a deal to sell the products into the US. Another company, George Weston, owns the Canadian rights to Hostess’s Wonder Bread brand.

Hostess said it has received inquires about buying parts of the company. Hostess would not comment on specifics, but analysts have suggested that Flowers Food, the company behind Nature’s Own Bread, and Metropoulos & Co., Pabst Brewing Company’s owner, may be contenders.

Barring any resolution of the corporate issues, US snack lovers are still not totally out of luck. There are artisanal versions of Hostess sweets, including the red velvet versions sold in some New York City bakeries and restaurants.